Summary
Five Nights at Freddy’sfans can’t wait to watch its sequel. One of its stars, Matthew Lillard, just shared an exciting update about FiveNights at Freddy’s 2.
Five Nights at Freddy’sis a live-action adaptation of the hit video game of the same name by Scott Cawthon. The firstFNAFmovie, directed by Emma Tammi and produced by Blumhouse Productions, was released in October 2023. Despite the mixed to negative reviews, the horror movie was a significant financial success, making $296 million worldwide on a $20 million budget. Due to its successful debut, a second film was officially greenlit in December 2023. The prequel will be released later this year, and according to Lillard, it’s better and scarier than the first one.
Lillard recently sat down for an interview with ComingSoon about his Quest End Druid whiskey and the Fam Club, which just launched. They also talked about his movies,ScreamandFNAF 2. As for the latter, the interviewer asked if they increased the budget to make the prequel “bigger and better” and what else fans could expect from the upcoming horror flick. Lillard said that the budget did not change much because they were “sort of an independent little horror movie,” unlike Marvel Studios, which can afford to shed between $250 million to $500 million for their films. For instance, all theAvengersfilms had a budget of over $200 million. As for the plot, he teased that it had been intensified. He said:
I think the storytelling’s been amped up a lot.
He added that its creator, Cawthon, listened to the audience, and they learned from the first film. The firstFNAFwas met with mixed reception, with some complaining that the pacing was too slow and light on horror. Those who enjoyedFive Nights at Freddy’sgame expected a scary and fast-paced horror film. However, it leaned more into mystery and family drama. Lillard teased that fans would get what they want in the next movie and they would love it. He explained:
I think that he’s responded with a script that… maybe it has more jump scares. Maybe it’s a little more action-packed. I don’t know. I’m not here to say ‘yes it is’, or ‘no it’s not.’
Fans Have Plenty To Be Excited About WithFive Nights at Freddy’s 2
Cawthon has a reputation for listening closely to his fans' feedback. He makes necessary adjustments and changes part of the games based on the community’s response. For instance, when they released the early trailers forSecurity Breach, some expressed concerns about the character designs and tone. Cawthon adjusted the visuals and gameplay before the release. In 2016, when he releasedFNAF World, a lighthearted RPG spin-off, the project attracted an intense backlash because it was poorly designed and a buggy mess. He immediately took it off Steam, issued an apology, and re-released it for free after fixing the issues. Cawthon admitted that the early release was due to pressure and acknowledged fans' feedback. Thus, Lillard’s statement that Cawthon listened to the audience for the anticipatedFive Nights at Freddy’s 2is a typical Cawthon move.
Hopefully, this time, the audience will get more jump scares and less family drama because it’s the horror element that attracts fans to the franchise. The second film will be a prequel, so Lillard’s character, William Afton, who died in the first movie, will return. In January,teaser imageswere released, and one photo featured Afton on top of the stairs looking down at Elizabeth Lail, who plays Vanessa Shelly, and director Emma Tammi. The snap confirms Lillard’s return inFNAF 2,and fans are thrilled to see him back because he is the main antagonist inFNAF. So, his return means more terror.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2will hit theaters on June 23, 2025.
